During the Annecy Animation Festival on Friday, Disney Animation showcased exciting new clips from the forthcoming “Moana 2,” highlighting the return of beloved characters and introducing new ones. Among the familiar faces were Moana’s parents, Chief Tui and Sina, the coconut-like Kakamora tribe, and Dwayne Johnson’s Maui.
Directors David Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand also presented fresh faces, including Moana’s baby sister, Simea, and her new adventure crew: engineer Loto, farmer Kele, and the enthusiastic Maui superfan, Moni.
“This story is about connection — to our identity and our origins,” Derrick shared about the sequel, which is set three years after the 2016 Oscar-nominated original. In this new tale, Moana and her team embark on a quest to find the lost island of Motufetu, concealed by a jealous God of Storms.
Disney unveiled approximately 15 minutes of work-in-progress footage from the film. In one clip, Moana (voiced by Auli‘i Cravalho) returns from a sea voyage to a celebratory welcome from her tribe, accompanied by a new original song, “We’re Back.” Another scene depicts Moana receiving a new title during a ceremony disrupted by a lightning strike. This event sets her on a mission to discover new lands and peoples. She assembles her crew, including the hesitant Kele, who has never left the shore. During their journey, they face a giant clam-like threat and the menacing Kakamora. Additional scenes feature Maui and the hand-animated Mini Maui tattoo, led by Disney animation legend Eric Goldberg.
Derrick and Hand discussed their research process, working with Disney’s Oceanic Cultural Trust, and incorporating insights from Nainoa Thompson and the Polynesian Voyaging Society. They acknowledged their third director, Dana Ledoux Miller, who is also a writer on the film along with Jared Bush, and praised producers Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, and chief creative officer Jennifer Lee.
The film’s music team includes Grammy-winning songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, along with returning Pacific legend Opetaia Foa‘i and composer Mark Mancina.
Legendary Disney animator Mark Henn, known for his work on characters like Belle in “Beauty and the Beast,” received a standing ovation as he was honored with the Annecy Walk of Fame award. He shared his latest Donald Duck short, “D.I.Y. Duck,” as part of the Disney Animation program.
“Moana 2” is scheduled for release on November 27.
